In today’s Belfast Telegraph, the following article appears:
‘We can’t gaslight those who have trusted us’: Carla Lockhart’s ultimatum to DUP as she threatens to take her ‘own course’
It is recognised that Carla Lockhart is taking a more honest and open view of the unlawful actions of the Sinn Fein First Minister, Michelle O’Neill when she took part with others of her party, in illegally blocking the Garvaghy Road in Portadown and thus hindering a lawful Orange parade to pass down the road, even when a Court had sanctioned the parade.
She recognises that there are implications arising from this unlawful action for the Democratic Unionist Party, which is in a coalition with Sinn Fein in the Stormont Assembly.
She does not want the present ‘First Minister’, Michelle O’Neill, to be allowed to continue in that office and is calling for her party leader to stand down the DUP ‘Deputy First Minister, Emma Little Pengelly. That would automatically put O’Neill out of office also.
Carla Lockhart uses the term ‘Gaslighting’, which is rather hard to understand for one who prefers ‘plain English’.
I have seen ‘Gaslighting’ defined as ‘a form of psychological and emotional abuse in which a person systematically manipulates information, denies facts, or distorts reality to make someone question their own memory, perception, sanity, or judgment.’
I think what the MP is saying, more simply put, is, ‘‘We can’t DECEIVE AND LIE TO those who have trusted us’.
As I am one who resigned from the DUP because I suspected that it was not being altogether true to its promise to its electorate and my suspicions were confirmed but a few days later when the news broke of the secret talks between the then DUP deputy leaders, Peter Robinson and the SDLP in Duisburg, Germany. That was in 1988!
Secret German peacemaker in Northern Ireland’s Troubles
Since then we have had power-sharing with Sinn Féin/IRA, when DUP voters were told that such would only happen over Ian Paisley’s ‘dead body’ at an Orange rally in July 2006.
Just a little bit of ‘Gaslighting’ I suppose!
Then came the reversal of the party’s stand on sodomy and its allied perversions.
In 2019, it endorsed as a council candidate one who has openly followed a lesbian lifestyle. Alison Bennington was the DUP candidate for the Glengormley urban area of Newtownabbey Borough Council.
DUP spokeswoman
‘A DUP spokeswoman said Ms Bennington was an “excellent candidate and will make an excellent representative for the people of Glengormley”.
“The party selects candidates on the basis of merit and we believe in equality of opportunity,” she added.’
The Irish Times, Tuesday April 30th, 2019
The same person was endorsed at a subsequent council election. Those who make no secret of their sodomite lifestyle boast of their DUP membership.
Change of direction
Infamous sodomite-rights campaigner, Jeffrey Dudgeon has stated the following: ‘Indeed I was instrumental this year in getting the gay pardon legislation — for men convicted when homosexuality was still illegal — extended to Northern Ireland.
Significantly, this was accomplished with the assent of the Assembly – where the DUP is the largest party.
As such, this is a first for the DUP, in that the party enabled a gay reform, albeit indirectly, by tabling a Legislative Consent Motion in the Assembly — so Westminster could include Northern Ireland in the gay pardon provisions of the Policing and Crime Bill. The circumstances are interesting and speak volumes about the change in the DUP under the leadership of Arlene Foster, a former Ulster Unionist. The Minister of Justice, Independent Unionist Claire Sugden first told me that on the advice of officials it was impossible to get Northern Ireland included in the gay pardons Bill then going through the House of Lords.
I said it could be done, and had been several times in the past, but urgent action was needed. Sugden then organised this — getting Arlene Foster and the late Martin McGuiness (sic) to agree to it over a weekend. Unprecedented speed for Stormont!
The DUP would have had to vote for the motion had not the sole opponent, Jim Allister of the hardline Traditional Unionist Voice, failed to force a division when he could not get a second teller. The DUP Assemblymen may have looked uncomfortable — but it reflected their acceptance of the modernisation required to govern a changed and very mixed province.’
Was the DUP electorate told of this or were they told that the DUP was the same old faithful loyalist party?
No they were not.
More ‘Gaslighting’!
This change had been signalled of course for those willing to see it, back in 2015, when Mervyn Storey, then Minister for Social Development, was directly involved in the funding of sodomite groups. Mr Jim Allister of the Traditional Unionist Party, drew attention to this and I reported the matter in ‘Burning Bush’ in January 2015.
Mervyn Storey, Minister for Social Development in the Northern Ireland Executive, tried to distance himself from funding of sodomites
Surely even more ‘Gaslighting’!
Carla Lockhart was an active member of the DUP when much of this ‘gaslighting’ was going on. Now it appears she is threatening to leave the DUP over the ‘Drumcree’ issue.
Carla Lockhart threatens to quit the DUP unless party officers decide to remove Michelle O’Neill as First Minister
Were not the matters I have mentioned, but briefly, not indicators that she should consider leaving the ‘Gaslighting Party’ to which she belongs?
I think they were, but then I take my lead on morality and honesty from the Word of God!
“Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him (the Lord Jesus Christ – Editor),” 2 Corinthians 5:9.
“Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men,” 2 Corinthians 8:21.
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things,” Philippians 4:8.
Such decisions as face Carla Lockhart must be made in the “light of the Lord” and not with an eye upon one’s political future, the voters’ reaction or whether the Orange Order approves!
Rev Ivan Foster (Rtd)
30th October 2026